Control valve cam and follower



Filed-Oct. 2-2, 1965 Aug? 1967 w. E. LEIGH r 3,335,688

CONTROL VALVE CAM AND FOLLOWER V 2 Sheets-Sheet Fl cal INVENTOR. WILUAME. Laeu ATTQQNEV Aug. 15 1967 I ,w. E. LEIGH 3,335,688

. CONTROL VALVE CAM AND FOLLOWE R .Filed Oct. 22, 1965 2 Sheets-$heetINVENTOR. W\L\.\AM E. LEHSH BY MW/01W ATTOQNEI United States Patent3,335,688 CONTROL VALVE CAM AND FOLLOWER William E. Leigh, Bay St.Louis, Miss. (113 W. Valley St., Hernando, Miss. 38632) Filed Oct. 22,1965, Ser. No. 502,726 4 Claims. (Cl. 114-150) This invention may beused by or for the Government for governmental purposes without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a hydraulic control mechanism, morespecifically, to a cam and follower for actuating the hydraulic valveand cylinder of a rudder control mechanism. The invention providesdirect hydraulic actuation for rudder control in place of manualactuation with hydraulic boost.

Previously, rudder control has been manual, with hydraulic boost. Theprior art system consists essentially of a control valve attached to therudder post. Movement of the steering lever in the pilothouse causes thevalve to open to move a hydraulic cylinder which rotates the rudderpost. A disadvantage of this system is that continuous overshooting andmaneuvering of the steering lever is required to bring the rudder to thedesired position. This maneuvering is required because the steeringlever cannot be moved in advance of the rudder post rotation. Anotherdisadvantage is that manual pressure and attention to the steering leveris required until the rudder has been set in its new position.

An object of this invention is to provide a rudder control mechanismwhereby the steering lever may be set at a desired new position inadvance of the rudder.

Another object is to provide a rudder control mechanism in whichmovement of a steering lever cam in advance of the rudder actuates ahydraulic cylinder which controls and causes rotation of the rudder postto set the rudder in line with the steering lever setting.

Another object is to eliminate overshoot by providing a rudder controlmechanism in which the rotation of the rudder post is automaticallystopped when the rudder is aligned with a preset steering leverposition.

The structural features of the invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which the control mechanism is depicted in arudder control system. It is to be understood that the control mechanismcould be used in many systems other than for rudder control, and thatthe control system could be other than hydraulic, for example,electrical.

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a ships rudder, the rudder controlmechanism, and the hydraulic system for the control,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rudder post and rudder control mechanism.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view if the rudder post and rudder controlmechanism.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the control mechanism andits hydraulic system. The hydraulic system can be conventional but willbe briefly described. Storage tank 1, located within boat hull 2, is thereservoir for the hydraulic fluid. A conventional pump 3 is used to liftfluid from tank 1. The tank may also be equipped with a relief valve andgauge, shown schematically at 4. Fluid lines 5 and 6 complete a circuitfrom tank 1 through the control valve 11 and main hydraulic cylinder 7.The rudder and rudder post are shown at 8 and 9, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 2, the control mechanism is shown to comprise thehydraulic cylinder 7, rudder post 9, rudder post extension 10, controlvalve 11 mounted on bracket 12, cam disk 13 and cam follower 14. Rudderpost extension is pivotally connected at its distal end to cylinder 7and rigidly connected to post 9 at its proximate end. Expansion orcontraction of cylinder 7 causes a rotation of extension 10, post 9, andconsequently rudder 8. A conventional four-way valve 11 is the controlvalve for cylinder 7. The valve is spring loaded for return to neutralposition and is rigidly attached to plate which is fixed to bracket 12.Bracket 12 is attached to post 9 to rotate with the post. Cam follower14 can consist of a rocker arm pivotally attached at 16 to bar 17, Bar17 is fixed to plate 15. Cam disk 13 is notched at 18 to receive end 19of rocker arm 14. End 20 of arm 14 is pivotally at tached to plunger 21which operates valve 11. Cam disk 13 is connected with a steering leverin the pilothouse to rotate with the steering lever, and isconcentrically and rotatably mounted on post 9.

In operation, when a rudder movement is desired the steering lever inthe pilothouse, not shown, is moved to the desired setting. This rotatescam disk 13 and unseats rocker 14 which actuates plunger 21 and valve 11to expand or contract cylinder 7. Without further handling or attentionfrom the pilothouse, post extension 10 moves the rudder post and bracket12 until end 19 of arm 14 is again aligned with notch 18 of cam 13. Whennotch 18 and arm 19 are aligned the arm reseats itself and shuts offfluid flow through valve 11. At this point, the rudder has assumed aposition corresponding to that set by the pilothouse steering lever. Amovement of cam 13 in the opposite direction will cause a rotation ofpost 9 in the opposite direction by changing the direction of force onplunger 21.

The control mechanism of this invention permits the rudder movement tobe controlled by an easily and accurately moved steering lever. Once thesteering lever has been set, no further manual pressure or attention isrequired from the pilothouse. The steering lever has a definite feel forthe neutral position and can be brought immediately to the desiredsetting without waiting for the rudder to actually make the move.Overrunning or overshooting of the desired rudder setting is prevented,as is the need for maneuvering the rudder into the desired setting.

I claim:

1. A device for controlling rotation of a shaft having rotation means,said device comprising actuating means mounted on and rotatable withrespect to said shaft, control means mounted on said shaft to rotatewith said shaft for actuating and controlling said rotation means, saidactuation means being rotatable from a neutral position with respect tosaid control means to a position which actuates said control means, saidcontrol means remaining actuated until said rotation means has rotatedsaid shaft and control means to said neutral position with respect tosaid actuating means.

2. The device described in claim 1 wherein said rotation means comprisesa hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to an extension fixed to saidshaft to rotate said shaft, wherein said actuating means comprises acam, and wherein said control means comprises a hydraulic valve and acam follower, said cam follower coacting with said cam to actuate saidvalve when said cam is rotated from the neutral position and to returnto the neutral position when said valve is returned to alignment withthe neutral position of said earn.

3. A device for controlling rotation of a shaft, said device comprisinga hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to a frame member and to anextension fixed to said shaft to rotate said shaft, a notched camconcentrically mounted on said shaft and rotatable with respect to saidshaft, a hydraulic control valve for admitting fluid to said hydrauliccylinder, said valve being mounted on a bracket attached to said shaftto rotate therewith, said valve further comprising a plunger and arocker arm pivotally connected to said bracket, said rocker arm beingpivoted out of a neutral position wherein it is aligned within the notchof said cam when said cam is rotated, the movement of said rocker armactuating said control valve to cause said hydraulic cylinder to rotatesaid shaft and valve to a position Where said rocker arm is again in aneutral position aligned Within the notch of said cam.

4. In a control system for controlling the rudder movement of a boat,said system including a rudder, a rudder post, and a hydraulic systemand cylinder for rotating said rudder post, a rudder control mechanismcomprising a hydraulic control valve Within said hydraulic system foradmitting fluid to said hydraulic cylinder, said valve being mounted ona bracket fixed to said rudder shaft to rotate With the shaft, a plungerfor actuating said control valve, a rocker arm cam follower pivotallyconnected to said plunger and to said bracket, and a cam having a notchto define the cams neutral position, said cam being concentricallymounted on said rudder shaft and rotatable with respect to said shaft,said rocker arm being seated Within said cam notch in the neutralposition and being actuated upon rotation of said cam to admit fluid tosaid hydraulic cylinder to cause rotation of said rudder post and valveuntil said rocker arm reaches the neutral position of said cam whereuponthe rocker arm again seats itself within said notch thereby cutting 01?fluid flow to said hydraulic cylinder and stopping rotation of therudder.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

ANDREW H. FARRELL, Examinerf

4. IN A CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING THE RUDDER MOVEMENT OF A BOAT,SAID SYSTEM INCLUDING A RUDDER, A RUDDER POST, AND A HYDRAULIC SYSTEMAND CYLINDER FOR ROTATING SAID RUDDER POST, A RUDDER CONTROL MECHANISMCOMPRISING A HYDRAULIC CONTROL VALVE WITHIN SAID HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FORADMITTING FLUID TO SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER, SAID VALVE BEING MOUNTED ONA BRACKET FIXED TO SAID RUDDER SHAFT TO ROTATE WITH THE SHAFT, A PLUNGERFOR ACTUATING SAID CONTROL VALVE, A ROCKER ARM CAM FOLLOWER PIVOTALLYCONNECTED TO SAID PLUNGER AND TO SAID BRACKET, AND A CAM HAVING A NOTCHTO DEFINE THE CAM''S NEUTRAL POSITION, SAID CAM BEING CONCENTRICALLYMOUNTED ON SAID RUDDER SHAFT AND ROTATABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID SHAFT,SAID ROCKER ARM BEING SEATED WITHIN SAID CAM NOTCH IN THE NEUTRALPOSITION AND BEING ACTUATED UPON ROTATION OF SAID CAM TO ADMIT FLUID TOSAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER TO CAUSE ROTATION OF SAID RUDDER POST AND VALVEUNTIL SAID ROCKER ARM REACHES THE NEUTRAL POSITION OF SAID CAM WHEREUPONTHE ROCKER ARM AGAIN SEATS ITSELF WITHIN SAID NOTCH THEREBY CUTTING OFFFLUID FLOW TO SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER AND STOPPING ROTATION OF THERUDDER.